A Means for an End
by Leif the Lucky
Summary: He was always looking for approval, for love, for acceptance. Always doing his best to please the father that thought he was an abomination. But still he pressed on, not knowing that he was merely “A Means for an End.”
1. Chapter 1

Well, I finally decided to post my own "Soren centric" fic. This is written as if Soren was raised by his father. Review! Oh, and much thanks to my beta!!

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"_And if you place troops here, should the enemy retreat towards this bridge, they will completely annihilate the rebels' army." I finished proudly._

"_Yet again, your skill and insight completely amaze me, lord prince. It proves that you are indeed a genius, no matter how young." Bryce answered in awe._

"_Hm." my father said._

_My smile faltered for a moment._

"_Father, what do you think?" I ventured bravely._

"_It will do." he said, standing up and leaving the room._

"_Father…"_

I jolted awake from the nightmare I was experiencing. Lately dreams plagued with memories were afflicting me.

I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and slid of the cot I was sleeping on. I felt around on the floor and found my bag with all my tomes and other items then blindly made my way to the door of the dirty room I was spending the night in. I fumbled for the doorknob. When I found it and had opened the door, I was met with the loud raucous noises from the bar below. Apparently the rabble rousers were still partying.

I stumbled down the stairs. It was time to leave this rat hole.

I weaved in and out of the drunken farmers, trying to make my way to the door of the tavern.

Someone's arm wrapped around my shoulder.

"Where you going, little lady?" a huge, blonde, young man said. From the weight of the arm on my shoulders and the firmness of his chest I figured this man was probably not a farmer. I winced at the overpowering smell of alcohol on his breath.

"Excuse me." I said, shoving his arm off me.

"Surely a cute, young woman like you isn't going out in that cold, dark world so late at night?" he tried again.

"Let me go." I demanded.

"Gatrie, just get over it. She doesn't like you." someone said.

I looked at the direction of the voice. A man with a purply-grey colored hair sat at a table with a plate of food in front of him.

"I'm Zihark." he said, smiling. "I'm afraid Gatrie here is a bit pushy."

"But, but," Gatrie whined.

I finally couldn't take it anymore.

"If you do not remove your arm from my shoulders I will remove it _permanently_." I said.

"Um," the man, Gatrie stuttered.

"Gatrie, that isn't a girl." Zihark said, realization dawning on his face.

"WHAT?!!"

He stuck his face up close to mine.

"Oh my gosh! She's a guy! I am so sorry! Please forgive me!" he gasped.

"Please, excuse me." I insisted.

"Let me make it up to you." he said, ignoring my request.

So then I found myself sitting at the table with a plate of obviously unpalatable food in front of me.

"Eat up!" Gatrie insisted.

"Gatrie's paying." Zihark said.

"You're worse than Shinon." Gatrie whined.

"I don't know the guy." Zihark explained to me.

I stared at the food then at the door. My fingers were itching to reach for my tome.

"Well, I'm really sorry that I thought you were a girl." Gatrie said.

I twitched and didn't reply.

"I mean, you have long, pretty, black hair and such pale skin, I'm sure anyone would mistake you for a girl."

It took every ounce of willpower and tolerance gained in my eighteen years to not blow that man away.

"By the way, what's your name?" he asked.

The front door of the tavern slammed open, saving me from answering. The loud noises in the room quieted down. I looked up and saw a huge, blue haired man standing there.

"Gatrie! Zihark!! What are you doing here this late?!" he demanded, staring right at our table.

"Well, commander," Gatrie, began, "I can explain."

"I don't want to hear excuses. Curfew was two hours ago. Do you know what time it is?!"

"Um, late?" Gatrie tried.

"Don't try to be funny! It's two o'clock in the morning! Zihark! I would have thought you would have made sure Gatrie was back in time!"

"Well," Zihark said guiltily, "I guess I got distracted."

"Distracted." Gatrie snorted.

He noticed me just then.

"Who are you?" he asked me.

Everyone in the tavern looked at me. That was exactly what I didn't want. Attention.

I stared at the commander's face while I opened my tome under the table. As quietly as I could I ripped the needed amount of pages from it.

I shot out of the chair and towards the door, just as I chanted the spell. Behind me I heard chaos as a Wind spell shot around the tavern. I had weakened the spell so no one would die from it, but if someone got a direct hit, they would have a killer headache in the morning.

I ran down the dark road away from the tavern. After about three miles I veered off the road and into the woods. Any normal person running at my speed would be making a loud noise and destroying the landscape, but me, I wasn't normal. I skillfully hid my tracks all while running at an extreme speed.

As soon as I was deep enough in the woods and far enough away from the road as I deemed sufficient, I sat down under a tree and gasped for air. I hadn't run like that since…

I reached into my pack I clasped my hands around a piece of jerky. I hadn't eaten in two days. I bit into the meat and grimaced at its salty and spicy flavor. I forced myself to take another bite. I shoved the jerky back in my bag. I couldn't eat anymore.

I was curled up in a ball in the roots of a huge old tree on the edge of a small clearing. I pressed my cheek into one of the huge roots and breathed deeply of the earthy, wood smell. Here I felt at peace, among the trees. Though I knew I shouldn't have, I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

"_When Princess Crimea's army hits this bridge, they will be driven back by the horse soldiers. They will most likely retreat this way where the ballistae will finish them off. Should a few escape, the foot soldiers here will take care of them. There is a 99.9% chance that they won't survive." I said, emotionlessly. _

_After examining the map and the markings on it for a few minutes, Ena replied:_

"_I can find no flaw. This is a battle we will win."_

_Out of habit I glanced at my father for a reaction. As usual, I saw none. _

"_Send out the troops." was all he said._

I awoke in a cold sweat, though the cause of my awakening was not my dream. I looked up. A female, cat laguz was standing there, with a huge, hulking blue tiger.

"Well well well, what do we have here?"


	2. Chapter 2

"Whaddya suppose this little kid is out here for, eh, Mordecai?" the orange, female cat said.

"Don't taunt the poor child, Lethe, he's probably frightened enough as it is." the tiger, Mordecai, replied. "Sometimes you can be really cruel."

"Don't talk to your superior like that!" she barked.

I stood up, reaching my height of five foot four.

"Either way we better take him back to the camp, just to make sure he ain't a spy." Lethe ordered.

"Fine." Mordecai sighed.

She reached forward and grabbed the front of my robe.

"Don't touch me!" I growled, not thinking.

I gripped her wrist and twisted it, making her let go of me.

"You little-" she growled furiously, then stopped. She sniffed her wrist where I had touched her. Her eyes opened in horror and she jumped back, away from me.

"Get away from him, Mordecai! He's-"

"Branded." I finished.

Mordecai stared at me with both pity and disgust.

"We still have to take him back to camp." he ventured.

"I'm afraid that's where I can't agree with you." I said. "I have no intention of going with you."

I pulled my tome out from under my robe.

"I'm holding an Elfire tome." I said, while stroking the binding and watching their faces turn to horror.

"Branded can't use magic." Lethe said, though I could tell she didn't believe what she was saying.

I opened it and ripped a page from it. Lethe and Mordecai gulped but stood their ground. I guess I'm going to really have to do it. I pause for a few seconds to let the tension build to a climax then started ripping pages out of the book and chanting the spell. Lethe sprinted forward to tackle me. Mordecai followed with a sorrowful expression. I finished ripping the pages out and threw the book aside. I continued the chant while dodging Lethe's tackle. By dodging the attack I made myself completely vulnerable to Mordecai's attack. Silently I cursed myself. This was the very reason my father said I wasn't fit for combat.

The impact was worse than I expected. I had a very small and weak frame much like a sickly child's whilst Mordecai's was huge and strong from many years of hard work. I heard ribs cracking and bones breaking as I hit the ground. My head cracked against a root and I saw stars, I was pretty sure that was going to have a headache when this blew over. Through all this I didn't stop chanting the spell. "Nearly there" I told myself. "Ignore the pain."

Then something happened that I dearly did not want to happen. My mother's memento flew out of my pocket and into the deep tangle of roots of the tree. I stopped chanting and watched in horror as my most precious belonging fell out of sight and out of reach for forever.

"NO!!" I shrieked involuntarily.

I blinked tears out of my eyes. I looked up at the face of Mordecai. He seemed frozen at my tears. He should not succumb to tears like that. That will kill him. I said the last word in the chant and a ball of flames came flying out of my soul towards him, blowing him off of me and engulfing him in flames. A long drawn out roar echoed from the flaming tiger.

I couldn't move. I couldn't get up to go to the tree to get mother's locket. I was in to much pain.

"MORDECAI!!" Lethe shrieked.

She ran to the flaming mess. She stepped back away from the heat and shouted his name over and over again. Ten seconds later the fire disappeared, leaving behind a smoking tiger.

"Lethe, don't hurt him, he's just a child." he moaned, then collapsed in a heap on the ground.

Lethe turned to me and glared. The last thing I remembered before pain and mourning overtook me into blackness was Lethe screeching and lunging for me, her claws outstretched.

"_So'an! So'an!" a little girl about three shouted._

"_Incorrect." a young boy about six said philosophically. "If you wish to gain my attention you must use my real name, Soren. I will not answer to this ridiculous baby talk."_

"_So'an." she tried._

"_No, repeat it again."_

"_So'an." she said tearfully._

_The boy, Soren, gave an exaggerated sigh._

"_Oh well. It can't be helped that you're incompatant."_

"_What das 'compatat mean?" the girl asked curiously._

"_Incompatant. Stupid. Incapable."_

_The little girl frowned. She bopped the boy on the shoulder._

"_Compatat is a naughty woyd."_

"_Striking me upon the shoulder is extremely immature and I expect to see no more of it out of you again." the boy said, glaring at the girl._

"_Soren, are you teasing Lucia again?" a tall beautiful woman with green hair said reproachfully._

"_Of course I'm not. I would never do such an immature and undignified thing as 'teasing.'"_

_Alhmeda blinked and sighed._

"_Sometimes I wish you weren't so mature and grown up. You are only six!"_

_Soren looked past her and his face lit up and a picture of innocence and childhood appeared on his face._

"_Father." he said happily, dancing past his mother to the huge man that had just walked into the garden._

"_Alhmeda. Come now." the man ordered, ignoring his son._

"_Father, I made a battle plan for you today." Soren implored._

_Ashnard glanced at his son._

"_Bring your child with you."_

_Then he turned on his heel and walked away._

I opened my eyes and resisted the urge to gasp. A female, with red hair, had her face hanging over me.

"So you're awake." she said in a voice deeper than a normal female's. Maybe it isn't a girl.

I glared at him/her/it and said nothing.

"I guess you don't like talking. My name is Rhys. What's your name?"

I refused to say anything. The name Rhys sounded extremely familiar.

"This is a strange mark you have on your forehead. Are you a spirit charmer?" he asked, reaching forward and touching the Branded mark on my forehead.

An uncontrollable feral instinct took over me. I snarled and tried to bite his hand off with my nonexistent fangs. He yanked his hand away and said shakily:

"Alright, I guess you don't like it when people touch you either."

"Where am I?" I growled.

He blinked.

"It speaks." he said good-naturedly, though I had just tried to rip his hand off. "You are in the medical tent of Princess Crimea's army. I'm Rhys with the Greil Mercenaries."

Then it clicked where I had heard his name before. I should have known I had gotten caught by the rebels. I thought back to Zihark and Gatrie from the tavern. They had been members to. Then I remembered the blue-haired man. That must have been Ike. If only I had been thinking then. I could have ended this whole, bloody war if I had killed him then.

"Don't try to move." Rhys was saying. "You have four broken ribs, a fractured leg, and a minor concussion. I'm going to go get the commander."

He walked out of my line of vision.

I tried to move my head to follow his movements, but when I tried that little stars exploded in my head and the room started to get fuzzy again. I ignored the pain and lifted my head. I nearly black out. I took my good arm and propped myself up into a sitting position. For about five minutes it took all I had from falling into darkness. When my vision cleared I slid my legs off the bed. I sat there, trying to breathe without hurting my ribs, while lightning bolts of pain shot up my broken leg. The pain cleared and I took a deep breath. I stood up and put all my weight on my good leg while I leaned on the little table next to my bed. Despite my careful efforts I could feel blood begin to soak all my bandages. I began the slow and laborious journey to the doorway of the tent. After about ten minutes I was gasping for air while leaning against the post of the tent doorway.

I looked around outside of the tent. I didn't see anybody or hear anything. There was a cluster of tents and nobody to inhabit them. Perhaps they're all gone for a battle of some sort. I glanced down on the ground next to me. A Heal stave leaned up against the side of the tent. I reached for it gratefully. I knew a bit about staves and I knew for certain that the healer had not used one on me.

I pointed the stave to my leg and mutter the incantation. Seconds later my leg felt instantly relieved. I would have to be extremely careful walking on it as it wasn't completely healed.

I used the stave to heal my ribs, arm, and skull. None of them were fully healed and if it were normal circumstances I would have stayed in bed for at least a week, but, unfortunately, these weren't normal circumstances.

I ran as quickly as I could away from the tent. But, I had taken too long to heal myself and to escape for I had been found.

"Hey! Stop! Where do you think you're going?!" someone shouted from behind me.

I turned and saw the blue-haired man followed closely by Rhys.

"You!" he gasped.

I did the only thing I could do. I hurled the stave as hard as I could (which wasn't very much) at the man. If it had actually hit it probably only would have given him a bruise, but, it didn't hit. Of course. I missed by a long shot and hit the healer in the face. I didn't bother to wait and see what had happened to him.

I shot off at a break-neck speed down through the tents.

"Wait!" the man shouted, quickly running after me.

Then, thanks to my bad luck, another misfortune rained down upon my head. My leg cracked open. I let loose a scream and I tripped and fell on my face. I began fading into blackness as I felt strong arms pick me up. Strong arms, much like the ones my father used to carry me with.

"Father." I murmured. "Why don't you love me?"


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Sadly I do not own Fire Emblem, if I did, Soren would be the main character, and Micaiah would be dead.

So here we are, the next chapter. I didn't have time to have it betaed (sorry, Light, I shortened your name), so forgive my mistakes.

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I opened my eyes and resisted the urge to gasp for a second time. A young girl's face was about three inches from my own and was staring at me.

"You're awake!" she sang. "You shouldn't have tried to run away. You could have been hurt more than you were."

I tried to move my leg. The pain wasn't there. I moved the rest of me. I was completely healed. I wasn't even tied to the bed. Foolish humans.

In the blink of an eye I had my hand gripped around her neck and a knife I had hidden in my clothes in my other hand. The knife proved how foolish and naïve they were not to disarm me.

I pressed the cold steel into her neck.

"Now you're going to listen to me." I hissed. "Or you will find this knife in your neck and your darling brother screaming your name, begging you not to die."

I could feel her shaking and heard her whimper.

I began walking to the door of the tent with her next to me. As soon as we had left the tent we were met with indignant shouts and cries of worry. I stood there waiting. Soon a large group of people had gathered around us. Seconds later Ike had shouldered his way through the crowd.

"Let my sister go!" he ordered. Nearly undetectable, I heard a hint of panic in his voice.

"If you meet my conditions you may have her back." I said calmly.

"What do you want?!"

"Enough provisions for three weeks, as compact as possible," though it would last me more like three months, "a strong, fast, horse, the best you got, full gear for the horse, a sleeping roll, the strongest wind tome you have, a sharp knife, and a cooking pot."

He paused only a second to glance at the tall, muscular, red-haired woman standing next to him. She nodded and he looked at Mist. I could only imagine what her face was like.

"Agreed." he said.

He motioned for two green-haired men standing next to him.

"Boyd, Oscar, go fetch the kid the stuff he wants."

Though it was extremely childish and immature I couldn't help but growl: "I'm not a child."

He blinked. "Okay."

After that I kept sending him dark looks.

I heard a soft growl behind me. I turned my head and saw the two laguz there. I had forgotten about them.

The female, Lethe, stared at me in fury. The man, Mordecai, looked at me with revolt and sorrow. His eyes screamed apologies to me.

"I don't need your pity." I hissed so softly that only they could hear. Unfortunately I had forgotten that there were other laguz mixed in with the crowd. Hawks, whose hearing was greater than even the great cats of Gallia, were scattered about.

I looked up on top of a wagon parked between two medical tents. A dark brown hawk with cold, calculating eyes stared at me. He knew what I was. Behind me I could feel the hating eyes of another hawk, burning holes into my back. It was going to be troublesome to escape.

But they weren't the only laguz in the crowd. I could sense the presence of another. A type of laguz I had never sensed before. I looked in the direction of his aura. My eyes widened and I gasped. A heron stood there. The most beautiful creature I had ever seen. I could not tell if it were a man or a woman. He/She had long, golden, silky blonde hair. His/her white wings glistened in the sunlight, making him/her look like an angel.

Ike followed my gaze and saw the heron. A look of understanding dawned on his face, though he truly doesn't understand.

"Ike!" someone called. "We've brought the stuff."

The crowd parted to let 'Oscar' and 'Boyd' through."

"Oscar!" Titania gasped. "Your horse!"

The brown steed he was leading was an excellent horse. That much I could tell by just glancing at it.

"We have no others." he said, not looking at her. "I took the finest horse we had in the stable."

Boyd looked guilty as he followed Oscar, carrying the various other items.

"Put the stuff on the horse, as compact as you can." I ordered.

He did as he was told.

"Back away from the horse."

They walked back to the crowd. I led the girl over to the horse and ordered her to get up. While keeping my knife dangerously close to the girl's back I mounted behind her. I took the reins. While keeping a tight grip on the girl, I leaned forward and whispered in the horse's ear.

"I'm sorry that you must part from your master. Someday I will see to it that you will return. Take me where I need to go."

He looked at me with intelligent eyes and I knew for certain that he understood me. At his own accord, he began to walk in a North-Easterly direction.

"Wait!" Ike shouted. "Give me back my sister."

I raised my hand lazily. "Follow me to the edge of your camp, I will return your sister there."

He sullenly began to follow me.

The camp was large, but not big enough to be an entire army. I was surprised the Crimeans had lasted this long.

The horse, Taiga, I believe was his name, stopped on the very outskirts of the camp. I waited a few minutes for Ike to catch up.

"We're here. Giver her back." he said with authority, when he had arrived.

"Certainly." I replied cockily, taking hold of her arm to help her down.

"Senerio?!" a horrifyingly familiar voice gasped.

On instinct I grabbed the girl and threw her to the ground. I kicked poor Taiga into a gallop and shot into the woods.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem, if I did, Soren would be the main character.

Here we are, chapter four! Review!

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I fought against the terror building up in my heart. That man, that man that hurt me more than my father ever could have. Years of taunting words, slaps, and hurt flooded back. He had broken me. And I couldn't heal.

_Why was Nasir among the mercenaries?_

"Senerio!" someone shouted behind me.

I didn't need to turn around to confirm that it was Nasir.

"Please, Taiga, faster." I begged.

He put on a burst of speed. I wouldn't be able to out run Nasir for very long.

"_It's your fault!" the man shouted at me._

_Tears filled my eyes._

"_What did I do? What did I do?!" I sobbed._

_He slapped._

"_Don't play dumb with me!"_

_He stomped off, shooting one last hateful glare at me._

_I turned back to the red flowers, wiping the tears streaming down my cheeks._

"_Soren?" a gentle voice said behind me._

_I wiped the tears off and stood up._

"_What is it that you need, Mother?"_

_I looked at her face. She had a disappointed frown on her face._

"_If you're sad, you can talk to me, really."_

"_What are you talking about?!" I said pompously. "I'm not sad."_

_I shoved the tears that wanted to spill down my cheeks back._

_She closed her eyes and a single tear dripped down her cheek._

"_Goodbye, Senerio."_

_She stood up, and with her long skirts swishing, she walked away. I never saw her again._

Taiga was foaming at the mouth and he was slowing down at an alarming pace.

"Stop Taiga, you've gone far enough." I said gently.

After a few more feet he came to a halt. I dismounted and patted the shaking horse.

"Calm yourself. You'll be fine." I whispered.

I heard sticks crack and leaves crumble. I turned and faced the man I loathed more than anyone other than my father.

"Why aren't you in the royal palace, Prince Soren?" Nasir asked.

"Why aren't you there, I wonder." I replied.

"Is Ena well?"

"Why shouldn't she be?"

"How about Rajaion?"

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"Worse."

"Hm… I wonder why?"

"It wasn't my fault that your tribe was born with such a strong sense of loyalty to family. I personally find it useless and annoying."

I felt claws rake my cheek as I was thrown to the ground.

"You forget that you are one of us." he hissed. "I'm disappointed at your cowardice!"

I wiped the blood off my cheek. "It's not cowardice. It's called a sense of self-preservation."

"The same." he sneered. "Why did you leave? Weren't you Daein's top strategist? The Shadow Prince? There are rumors of Ashnard's son being alive."

"Simply rumors." I replied. "In my father's, and every other person aware of my existence, I'm dead. If they knew I was here now, the consequences upon those naïve mercenaries would be devastating."

"The consequences upon you, from those 'naïve' mercenaries, if they knew that you were the cause of many a lost battle and dead soldier, would be, as you put it, 'devastating.'"

My ears pricked up at the sound of people running into the forest.

"Why don't you be a nice person and let me go." I said.

"I won't be 'nice' until my granddaughter and her fiancé are no longer in the clutches of Ashnard, and you are dead."

"That might be happening sooner than later."

He sniffed the air.

"You have about five minutes."

I frowned. "I didn't escape the Black Knight to die like this."

He looked at me shrewdly. "Does anyone?"

The orange cat was the first to burst into the clearing. She transformed and turned to Nasir, pointedly ignoring me.

"What is the meaning of this?!" she growled. "Running off like that! This child happens to be a skilled sage."

I twitched. So it's begun.

"I'm sorry, Lethe." Nasir said, smiling. "I mistook him for someone else. I have talked with him and learned of his predicament. He happens to be an apprentice for a man named Heddwyn. Heddwyn trained him in the magic arts. He ran away from the man after he was about to be forced to do something horrendous, which I will not mention. Since then he has been wandering the countryside, trying to escape pursuing Daein soldiers."

I glanced at him in surprise. Che, lying with such ease, it makes me sick.

"As he was a confident to Heddwyn, who happens to be a ruling factor at one, The Twisted Tower, he would be quite useful as an information source. He also happens to be an excellent strategist. So, please don't kill him till we talk to Ike."

Lethe glared at him. "Ike trusts you, though I see no reason why, so we will wait."

She glanced at me, her top lip curling in disgust.

In anger I turned around and began to towel sweating-like-a-dog Taiga down with my cloak.

It was only a few minutes before we were joined by Ike. He gasped for air as he looked at our threesome.

"W-what… i-is… t-the… meaning of this?!" he demanded.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem.

Hey everyone. I have finally found time and inspiration to update this story! Be proud of me… anyways, I want some suggestions from the audience! Should there be couples in this story? If so, who? PPLLEEAASSEE tell me! I am sorta leaning towards two main couples but I need everyone's suggestions first.

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"Ah, Ike. Welcome." Nasir said pleasantly.

"What is going on? What is the meaning of this?!" Ike demanded.

"Terribly sorry, Ike, but as I was telling our dear, feline friend here, I mistook this fellow, Soren, that is your name isn't it, for someone else."

Ike's brow wrinkled. "I see. Care to elaborate?"

"Well, I shall tell you what I told Lethe, I have talked with him and learned of his predicament. He happens to be an apprentice for a man named Heddwyn. Heddwyn trained him in the magic arts. He ran away from the man after he was about to be forced to do something horrendous, which I will not mention. Since then he has been wandering the countryside, trying to escape pursuing Daein soldiers. I don't think we should kill him. He would be great use to us."

Ike looked at me thoughtfully. "Fine. But I want someone watching him at all hours. Lethe, you, Rhys, and Boyd will take turns. Let's get out of the god-forsaken forest."

I stared at the trusting young man. He was going to get himself killed this way.

We began to follow Ike along the crashed pathway in the forest. Along the way I kept stealing glances at Nasir, trying to discover his hidden motives in keeping my identity hidden."

After about a half an hour we had returned to camp where the large crowd from earlier was waiting. Already I began to wince at the inevitable confrontations. But first things first. I led Taiga over to an overjoyed Oscar.

"He is an excellent horse. He must serve you well." I said to him.

He looked at me. I could read in his eyes that he was trying to decide if he should be grateful or angry.

"Thank you." he said uncertainly.

I went to Mist next.

"I apologize for holding you hostage. I was desperate."

I then went back to Ike and didn't say anything.

Ike scratched the back of his neck, trying to decide what to say.

"There was a misunderstanding, Soren has information, everyone be nice, he's joined." he blundered. "I mean, uh, Nasir, tell them what you told me."

Sometimes I think Nasir had practiced what to say before because he said it again word for word:

"I have talked with him and learned of his predicament. He happens to be an apprentice for a man named Heddwyn. Heddwyn trained him in the magic arts. He ran away from the man after he was about to be forced to do something horrendous, which I will not mention. Since then he has been wandering the countryside, trying to escape pursuing Daein soldiers. I don't think we should kill him. He would be great use to us."

"Yeah, and now I have allowed him to join with us as an informant and strategist, as long as we are in an agreement."

I blinked, strategist? How did he know…?

"I apologize for all injuries and inconveniences caused by me." I said.

There was a silence for about a minute while everyone looked at me and thought it over.

"It's alright with me." the man, Rhys, finally said.

After him there were low mumbles of agreement and they all started to drift off. I silently glanced at all the laguz who were watching me very carefully.

"Now, I'm taking you to meet Princess Elincia. She must approve of this too." Ike said.

I sucked in my breath. Princess Elincia.

Ike led me away to a large tent directly in the center of the camp.

"Wait here." he ordered me, while he stepped inside. A few minutes later he came back out. "Princess Elincia will see you now."

He led me inside the tent. A woman with long green hair sat on chair. She had a kind, motherly smile and pale ivory skin. She was beautiful, I guess, though incomparable to my mother.

"Hello, master Soren. It's nice to meet you." she said softly, while smiling at me. "I understand that you are of Daein heritage, do not worry, I will not hold it against you. Some of our best fighters are of Daein heritage."

"Thank you, your highness." I said stiffly, but did not bow. One never bows to another of equal ranking.

"Please, receive food and rest, tomorrow we are going out to battle." she said sweetly.

My eyes widened. "Who is your opponent?"

"We are fighting against a man named Kayachey." Ike said. "Him and his troops guard the border. We plan to ambush them. Hopefully we'll be able to defeat them all and then enter Daein. This victory will mean a lot for our conquest."

I shook my head. "The border station Kayachey guards has many troops. Not to mention Kilvas' crows now are among the ranks. And to add to that Kayachey is an excellent sage with very good weapons."

Ike's face whitened and he sat down. "This battle will not go well."

"I have visited this station and I know it well. If you ambush them correctly and bring the right troops you might have a success." I then went off into one of my long winded strategies, leaving nothing to chance. I was going to be with them for a while, might as well earn their trust.

After my oration Ike looked at me hopefully. "You are somewhat of a strategist?"

"I consider myself better than average."

He smiled weakly. "I think we have found our niche, Elincia."

* * *

A/N sorry for botching it there at the end. And that this chapter is short. But I was desperate to get this updated. Sorry. I hope everyone gives me suggestions! Next chapter the action finally starts!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem

So guess what?!! It was freakin' snowing yesterday! It was horrible. I love the snow, but now it's April. It's time for it to leave. But, it's sorta okay cus I get to go on vacation to Arizona! YEAH!! Awesome I know. I'm leaving the frosty plains of Idaho and going to the warmth and sunnyness of Arizona.

Anyways, thanks for all the reviews in the last chapter. It's great that you all support me. *grin*.

For anyone confused, in my story I changed the way mages and sages perform spells. Instead of just chanting in the Ancient Language they rip out a certain amount of pages of the tome at the same time, that way there is a plausible reason as to why the tomes "break."

* * *

I shivered and pulled my cloak more tightly around me. I was huddled behind a tree in the snow, carefully watching the border station. I shivered again as my pants became soaked with water.

I saw a few soldiers milling about and the black wings of Ravens peaking out from the roof; most of their force was probably inside. Despite their peaceful, lazy, outward appearance, I knew that they were prepared.

I groaned as the wind shifted. I watched in disappointment as the Ravens all stood up and sniffed the air. They did not have the nose to smell humans right next to them, but they could easily smell a Branded a mile away.

I turned and ran back to Ike and the others who were waiting patiently in a small grove.

"We must attack now! The Ravens have been alerted to our presence. I do not know if they will inform the rest of the soldiers."

"I see." Ike said. I thanked my lucky stars he did not ask how they were alerted. "Greil Mercenaries!! Move out!!"

The soldiers began to creep through the forest towards the base. Ike began to follow him when he was stopped by the heron.

"Ike! Let me fight with you! I can be of great use." he asked.

"I don't want to endanger you." Ike protested. "Herons aren't meant to fight…"

The heron cut him off by saying: "Tibarn has given his consent, as long as Ulki and Janaff fight with me."

Ike looked at the two hawks.

"Alright." Ike sighed. "Just stay out of the fray. Your abilities will be quite useful."

A look of joy and happiness sank on the hard face of the heron. "Thank you, commander, I won't let you down!!"

"I'll hold you to that." Ike said, then turned and ran after the group.

The heron grinned at the two hawks and the threesome turned to follow him. Through the whole exchange between them all, they had been pointedly ignoring me. _Ah, well, I guess it doesn't matter_.

I ran after Ike.

I muttered the spell in the Ancient Language as I ripped the needed pages out of my tome.

"Tornado!"

Long spirals of wind shot out towards the advancing enemy.

We had come upon them with reasonable surprise. I had not expected the Ravens to alert the humans of our presence, and they hadn't, so we were able to surprise our beorc counterparts. We had less success with fighting the Ravens. They were furious fighters and had smarts about tactics. I noticed that I was one of their greatest targets.

_They think that they had done me a favor by killing me!!_ I thought with disgust as I blasted one into oblivion.

I turned as I heard a disturbance. A young boy with green hair, Oscar's, the knight whose horse I had 'borrowed,' younger brother I believe. He was pleading and crying with a red-haired enemy soldier.

"Shinon…" he whined.

I had heard mention of this Shinon before, I think it was… Gatrie who mentioned him…

"Wipe that pathetic look off your face! Come on, ready your bow. On the battlefield, emotion ain't worth spit. I taught you that, didn't I?"

"Uncle Shinon…"

I blinked in surprise. Perhaps this Shinon was an old ally?

I watched as the man, Shinon, beat down the boy. I had seen the boy fight earlier and had been surprised at his skill. With this opponent, he had no heart in his fighting. At this rate he would fall. I turned to go rescue him, a pang of passion running through my veins. Oscar beat me to him.

"Retreat, Rolf, you have been wounded." Oscar ordered.

Rolf nodded and turned around and ran back through the allied lines.

"Shinon?! Why are you with Daein? Someone with your skills could have found work with Begnion's army. So, why this?"

Shinon replied scoffing: "Ha! Why would I want to go to work for a bunch of stiff-necked bluestockings? I'm a commoner. No matter how good I am, I would never rise above a middling commission. It's different in Daein. If you're a skilled fighter, you can rise all the way to the top."

"Is getting promoted really that important?"

"It's everything. All right, enough with the pleasantries. You ready to go?"

"Oh Shinon." Oscar mourned.

Oscar ran forward with his lance outstretched. Shinon waited for the very last second then jumped to the side, skillfully avoiding Oscar's clumsy strike. Shinon took his steel bow and banged it against the back of Oscar's head. Oscar grunted in pain as he whirled around, successfully leaving a long, bleeding mark on Shinon face.

"Oscar, out of the way."

The twosome, and myself, both looked at Ike, the man who had spoken the order.

"The Greil Mercenaries does not tolerate traitors. I shall teach him a lesson."

Oscar backed away and Shinon snickered.

"I always knew it would come to this, Ike."

"Shinon…" Ike growled.

"Ready yourself!"

Quick as lightening Shinon had an arrow out of his quiver, on his bow, and shooting towards Ike. Ike blinked and tried to sidestep the arrow; but Shinon had caught him off guard and the arrow imbedded itself in his gut. Without thinking, I shot off towards him, opening my tome at the same time.

Shinon heard my clattering footsteps and glanced in my direction. But it was too late; I had ripped the need pages out and shouted the spell. My Elwind spell caught him in the chest and he flew back at the wall. Shinon groaned and I heard a loud snap. I winced and hoped I hadn't broken his back. I walked towards him and examined him more closely. No, I hadn't broken his back, but the spell had twisted him around and the lower half of his body hit the wall. His arm and leg looked broken.

He cracked open one eyelid.

"Who the heck are you?" he groaned.

I said nothing and walked away.

"Rhys!" I shouted.

The rest of the Greil mercenaries had moved deeper into the battlement and so I was virtually alone.

I heard the light pattering of footsteps come around the corner of the wall. It was Rhys, looking very busy and scatterbrained.

"Commander Ike!!" he groaned. "What did you do this time?!"

Ike didn't respond. Rhys' eyes widened when he realized that Ike was unconscious. He rushed forward and knelt by Ike and immediately began healing him.

"When you have finished with Ike, make sure that one isn't plagued by anything life-threatening." I ordered, motioning to Shinon.

"Shinon?!!" Rhys gasped.

Shinon's eyes cracked open again. "Is he dead?"

"Cut it out, Shinon! Commander Greil would have never wanted this!" Rhys said tearfully. His healing powers were impeccable even when he was distracted.

"Shut your mouth, Rhys! I don't have the patience for one of your little sermons.

"Shinon..."

Rhys shook his head in defeat and turned back to healing Ike. A few minutes later Ike's eyes opened. He looked at Shinon and cracked a grin.

"So do you want to come back now?"

Shinon glared at Ike. "You didn't beat me, so technically I don't have to, but I suppose you do need some veteran to come watch over the young pups. And you'll need someone to replace you one of these days when you don't have a little shadow to protect you." He glanced at me as he said this.

Ike looked up at me. "I guess that proves where your loyalties lie."

His eyes widened in horror. I felt two little gusts of wind behind me. I flipped around to fine two Kilvas Ravens behind me.

"Looky here. It's the little runaway prince. Who knew he could be branded."

* * *

Haha, sorta a cliffy at the end. Hmm…. How will Ike react? And Shinon, and Rhys?


	7. Chapter 7

I am pleased to inform you all that I have been attacked by plot bunnies over the summer and I am working on rewriting all my stories. I've decided that to insure my regular updates that I have to write the entire story before I can publish it. I'm working on finishing all my stories and I hope to publish them all again soon. I'm not gonna delete these so stay with me, okay? I hope I'll have all these stories up and going again in no time.


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